Lineage

Chapter 3

Colton

"You first", Theo breaks the silence as he stares down at me. I"m a bundle of nerves but I'm not going to show it. I lean back in the rocker and rock a few times before choosing my words carefully. 

        "I want to go out with Tatum," I finally blurt out. 

        "I don't know when it happened, but she is all I think about lately. I want your permission to ask her out", I eye Theo, looking for a reaction. 

         "Does she want to go out with you?" Theo asks. 

        "I think so, I don't know, we've not really talked about it", I run my hand through my hair. 

        "Geez Colt, have you even told her how you feel? Come on man, this is my sister, not Leslie Parker!"

        "Hey, that's low! You know I haven't talked to her in a while!" I growl. 

        "Well, she sure has tried to talk to you. I don't want Tatum in the middle of that", Theo is adamant. "Leslie can be vicious". 

        "I will take care of that. She won't bother Tatum", I vow. "So, do you have a problem with me dating your sister?" 

        Theo stands there staring at me for what seems like forever. He finally walks over and reaches out his hand. I stand up and put my hand in his and shake.  

        "Hurt her and I'll mess you up!" he says, watching for a reaction. Something he saw made him relax. He knows me as well as he knows himself. 

        "Noted. Want to go watch the game?" I throw my arm over Theo's shoulders as we make our way to the set of french doors that lead to the main living room. 

        "You mean you don't want to go find my sister?" quips Theo. 

        "All in good time", I murmur. I pull out my phone to text her as we walk through the doors. 

        "Hey, boys it's 3rd quarter. Panthers are up by a touchdown", exclaims William. "Have a seat!" 

We settle in and Theo is quickly engrossed in the game. I keep looking at the text I just typed to Tatum. 

 Hey gorgeous.

I look up at the television to watch the game and wait for a reply. After what feels like 10 minutes, I hear the chime alerting me I  have a text. I unlock the screen, and my pulse goes up when I see it is indeed from her.

 Hey yourself hottie! she'd said. 

I grin from ear to ear only to look up and see Theo rolling his eyes. I flip off my best friend before turning my attention back to my phone. 

Meet me on the back veranda in ten minutes. I text back. 

My phone chimes almost immediately. 

Make it five.

I get up and make my way to the kitchen and then discreetly down the hall toward the formal dining room and the furthest set of french doors on the veranda. I step through the dining room french doors onto the veranda and walk over to lean on the railing and wait for Tatum. I'm so nervous. I realize my palms are sweaty. I quickly wipe them on my shorts. I look across the veranda to the doors I left open, my eyes adjusting to the dark and there she is walking through them looking like a goddess. She is stunning, my heart spikes just watching her walk toward me. 

    "What took you so long?" I ask. "Come here".

I grab her hands and pull her to me. I bend my head down and kiss her taking my time with this one. Her luscious lips warm under mine as I tease with my tongue,  deepening the kiss just a little. Her arms come up and wind around my neck. She runs her hands through my hair as I pull her closer and wrap her in my arms. My heart is doing somersaults. I don't think I will be able to catch my breath in the next second, I end the kiss but immediately wish I hadn't. I pull back to look her in the eyes. 

        "I talked to Theo and he is ok with us going out", I murmur before bringing my lips back to hers once more. I hope this kiss has her feeling dizzy and lightheaded like I am.  We end the kiss and I'm just in awe of her beauty.

        "So, where are we going?" she asks. 

        "What do you mean?" I ask perplexed. 

        "On our date?" she rolls her eyes. 

        "Oh!" I laugh. "How does Urban Adventure Quest and then dinner at Magnolia's this Saturday sound?"

        "Amazing!" she croons as she leads me over to the swing at the end of the veranda. We snuggle up and watch the stars for a while. I steal more kisses until we hear raised voices coming from the other end of the veranda. I follow Tay and we sneak closer to the french doors that lead to the family room. Peering in the window we see my dad and her grandparents deep in conversation. Well, more so Liz in conversation with dad and William listening. 

    "Of course I don't believe the damn amulet is cursed William", Liz was saying. "It's just been a nightmare for this family as long as I've known about it because everyone is obsessed with it!" 

   I look at Tatum and mouth "Amulet?" she shakes her head just as confused as I am. 

    "The stakes just seem to get higher the closer we get to finding it. Thank goodness it was agreed that the children should be with us after everything started happening. 

     "There, there my dear. Steve's contact should be calling soon and we will get some information. We can decide on what to do once we hear from them." William patted his wife's hand. She looked like she was on the verge of a breakdown. About that time my dad's phone rang. Tay and I held our breath waiting to hear what news the call brought. 

           My dad put the phone to his ear, "Barret,"  We watch as he glances at William and Liz occasionally.     

     "I'm going to put you on speakerphone," he declares as he pulls the phone away from his ear and hits the speaker icon.      "Go ahead, you're on speaker now."     

    "We went onto the yacht, but it was empty", the voice on the phone says. "We found it drifting about two miles off the coast."       

  William asks the voice on the phone if there was any sign of struggle?

        "None that we saw, nothing out of place, or out of the ordinary". 

        "Have you heard any talk in town?" my dad asks.

          "There was talk yesterday about some newcomers, but I haven't been able to verify", came the voice again.          "Verify and let me know", my dad commands. "Call me with anything else!"      

   "Yes sir, as soon as I find out anything I'll be in touch!" the man said, and then the call ends.       

   "What does this mean," Elizabeth is wringing her hands.     

     "I will find them, Liz," I hear my dad reassuring her, "try not to worry".       

   "I'll make the arrangements. When will you leave?" asks William.

          "I'll need to get some things together, and we will need some more intel", dad says.     

    "Will Sunday be long enough?"  William asks.         

"Yes, I think that will work". dad agrees. "I will let you know right away if anything changes."

        "You know where everything is and how to get to it. Take whatever and whoever you need.

        "Yes sir, " dad replies. "Colt and I will head home soon, and I'll start packing". 

Outside on the veranda, I look down and see the look of horror on Tatum's face. I put my arms around her and she melts into my chest, my warmth surrounding her. Her parents are missing, and her grandparents and my dad do not want us to know. They hadn't come out and said it, but that is what it boils down to.  We have to get upstairs and tell Theo and Teagan. I realize Tay is shaking. 

    "Hey," I whisper, running my hands up and down her arms, "Let's go upstairs and tell Theo and Teagan". 

 With her hand in mine Tatum and I tiptoe away from the family room door back across the veranda to the dining room entrance.